History & Heritage

The NSW Rail Museum is one of the shire’s most popular attractions and main features of Thirlmere. Since 1975 Thirlmere has been home to a significant rail heritage collection, including over 100 trains associated with the history of railways in NSW.

Located just over an hour from Sydney, the museum takes visitors on a journey to discover how the NSW railways brought shire villages to life, what life was like on the lines and what some of the greatest engineering and design achievements of railways over the years looks like.

The museum houses the biggest rolling stock collections in Australia. A significant portion have been refurbished over the years to return the machinery into their former glory. Some of the carriages are accessible and visitors are welcome to climb aboard and either relive memories or experience for the first time some of the historical relics. Whether you’re a train buff or just coming along for the ride, you’re bound to learn something new and take away a new appreciation for rail history.

The museum also offers steam train rides on weekends. Visitors are welcomed to take a 45-minute ride from Historic Thirlmere station to Buxton and return along the Thirlmere Heritage Railway.

The NSW Rail Museums signature events include ‘A day out with Thomas’ where kids are overjoyed with the arrival of a real life Thomas the Tank Engine and the ‘Thirlmere Festival of Steam’ which has been running for 30 years.